The Tuesday that changed his life
PV senior uses basketball to overcome loss of father.
Matt Vasel holding out the Pascack Valley Indians game ball with his dad’s initials, “SCV” written across.
Scott Vasel was optimistic as he walked into the North Tower on the morning of Tuesday, September 11th. This was his first day starting at a new company, Marsh & McLennan.
“What a first day,” said Matt Vasel, Scott’s son and a senior at Pascack Valley High School.
Scott was on the 96th floor of the North Tower on that fateful morning. The North Tower was the first to be hit at 8:45 in the morning by American Airlines Flight 11.
The higher floors of the tower, namely floors 93 through 99, were affected most by the collision, and all passengers on the flight, plus hundreds of people in the building, lost their lives.
Scott was born and raised in Fort Lee. A family man, he grew up working with his hands on his family’s farm and, consequently, was unable to play sports as a kid. However, this never stopped him from having fun.
“His mom was a cop in Fort Lee,” Matt said, reflecting on stories about his father that have been passed down to him. “One day, he went 100 on his motorcycle in a 25 mile per hour zone, and his mom pulled him over.”
Matt was only two and a half years old when his father passed away.
“People don’t realize how much you have to give up, being one of three [kids] with one parent. You have to understand that you can’t have your way all the time,” Matt said, “like you don’t have a ride to hang out with your friends. I had to miss some basketball games because my sister had dance recitals or my brother had baseball games.”
Seeing other kids with their dads was probably the hardest thing.
— Matt Vasel
As most people could only imagine, he had to overcome the challenge of growing up without his father.
“Seeing other kids with their dads was probably the hardest thing,” Matt said.
However, Matt has successfully overcome the challenge and has become a father in his own way.
“When I was eight, my little sister was born, and that was huge for me because it was like someone that I could take over and become a father figure for her.”
Matt is also a basketball player here at Pascack Valley and is one of the best three-point shooters this school has ever seen. He is a very competitive athlete who puts in a lot of hard work, a trait he seems to have inherited from his father.
Not only is basketball something that Matt is gifted at, but he also uses the sport as a coping mechanism.
“Basketball got to me. I just started going out and shooting every day, and that was how I was expressing my feelings. Basketball really got me through it all,” Matt said.
I just started going out and shooting every day, and that was how I was expressing my feelings.
— Matt Vasel
“When the National Anthem is being played before every home game, when we’re home, I have a certain pillar on the ceiling that I look at and I just think of him the whole time,” Matt continued.
Additionally, written across the game ball are his father’s initials, “SCV,” which is used at every home game for the Indians’ basketball team.
Not only does Matt use his father as motivation to strive to be the best basketball player he can be, but he also uses his father as motivation in all facets of his life, whether that be in the classroom or on the court.
“Knowing that he is up there looking at me,” Matt said, “I just want to be the best person I can towards everyone, no matter what they look like, or who they are. So I just want to make him proud and make other people happy at the same time.”
Jeffrey Levin • Sep 11, 2022 at 1:02 pm
So sorry Matt. I know it’s been a long time. I grew up there houses from your Dad on Harvard Place. He kept his motorcycle hidden on the side of my house for a while so his Mom wouldn’t see. He used to hang out while I washed cars. For a while we lifted weights at his house. Janine was in some of my classes at WP University. If you have any questions please reach out to me.
Laurie Darcey • Sep 11, 2016 at 12:32 pm
I am sure your Dad is so very proud of you. You are a great kid and your Dad will always be watching over you as you accomplish great things in our world.